1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to anti-vandalism protective devices for coin telephones, and more particularly to an arrangement for protecting the touch calling unit and associated pushbuttons of a coin telephone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Existing coin operated telephones presently known, equipped with touch calling units, (pushbutton operated calling devices), utilize mounting techniques that allow the pushbuttons of the touch calling unit to protrude through the telephone housing or casing for access by the user. The touch calling unit is typically mounted within the casing at the front of the coin telephone and a hood assembly or impact resistant decorative plate mounted on the casing about the touch calling unit. These decorative plates though protecting against the vandalism of the internal parts of the coin telephone do not afford adequate protection to the pushbuttons of the touch calling unit. Consequently, many touch calling units have been damaged due to excessive mechanical shock applied to the pushbuttons. This damage occurs when either vandals or irate customers strike the pushbuttons with the handset of the telephone, causing excessive force to be transmitted to the spring contacts inside the touch calling unit. This excessive force, in turn, results in damaged springs that render the unit inoperative.
In the past, adapter plates have been designed to be mounted about the pushbuttons and on top of the decorative plate which effectively raises the level of the plane in which the pushbuttons are located thus minimizing the shock caused by striking the pushbuttons. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,221, to P. A. Zamara, teaches a shield plate which is mounted on the face of a pushbutton calling device to prevent the accidental slipping of the operator's finger from one button to an adjacent button. U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,067, to B. Solomovitz, teaches a protective anti-vandalism device for a pay telephone employing a rotary calling device which is mounted over the dial on the face of the pay telephone. These arrangements are costly in manufacturing labor needed to produce the adapter plates and to install. Additionally, since a broad face of the pushbuttons are still exposed, excessive shock force is still transmitted to the pushbuttons resulting in their damage.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved means for protecting the touch calling unit and associated pushbuttons on a coin telephone.